If you're like me, you've already raced through all 13 episodes of House of Cards' sophomore season. You've no doubt dissected every critical scene in your brain and discussed your predictions for season three with your fellow binge-watchers.

Season two thrives, just as ABC's Scandal does, when addressing timely multi-episode arcs. Showrunners have weaved in cyber spying, government shutdowns, right of asylum and — to no one's surprise — political malfeasance.

The show at this point is excelling because of everyone's intense jousting for information and power, but just as engrossing is watching schemers Frank and wife Claire cunningly attempt to hide the truth at all means, like destroying the lives of the pesky journalists on his tail.

The Underwoods' massive cleanup effort has a lot of stains to tackle: old enemies, precarious alliances and riveting threats to everyone's future. But the mops now have fresh blood on them after a shocking death turns plans upside down at the end of episode one.

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